Blossoming a tale of justice
by Mocking.the.jay
Summary: Anna, has volunteered for the 27th hunger games. She discovers what her arena is before the games, and may have to start fighting for her life before the games, she has a partner that she's not sure about, but one things for sure, she will win. She can't leave her parents childless. Her feelings about killing other will have to go away if she wants to leave the arena alive.


I took a deep breath. Today was the last time I would ever feel this way, todaywas the last day I was eligible for the reaping. Unlike most the kids in District 2, I was not a blood thirsty wild child, who would volunteer as tribute before Daffly could even say the chosen one's full name. Sure I was deadly, you had to be to survive first school, especially in second school. I wasn't half bad with a sword, and I could hit a needle in a haystack with a knife. Even with my mad knife skills, I still was scared straight of the Hunger Games, I still have nightmares about last years games... Our district won, but Leena Deep paid a price for winning. Her tongue was ripped out in the first day for silencing a tribute too fast."Anna! Hurry up! I need to dry your hair soon if we're going to be on time!" My mother yelled at me. I sighed and obliged grudgingly. 30 minutes later I was ready to go. Since I was an only child I was pampered excessively often. I looked gorgeous, even me with my low self confidence, can't deny it. My brown hair that often looks mousy and frizzy falls in perfect ringlets to my waist. My dress is a stunning blue that matches my eyes perfectly. If I was picked today, at least I would be a showstopper... I hoped... Soon my father was yelling at me that it was time to go. I slipped my soft linen flats on and hurried out the door.I said goodbye to my mother and father and hurried over to my friend Dellianah, she was a grade below me so this wasn't her last year. We looked over and saw Sellix, she was the most repulsive girl in the grade, everyone was crossing there fingers-except me- that she got chosen. No one would volunteer for her, they wanted her to die. I thought she was really nice and just terribly misunderstood. Dellianah and I were chatting when Daffly finally called order to the chaos. "Citizens of District 2, welcome to the 27th annual hunger games reaping! Now please watch as I present the video from your neighbors to the North, the Capital!" She did a dramatic gesture then we watched the same boring video we do every year. Finally it was time for the drawing "Ladies first!" Daffly said in her high pitched voice. She picked around in the bowl for a couple minutes, and finally she selected one. "This years girl tribute from district 2 is... SELLIX MARDRO!" The audience was deathly quiet for a couple minutes. Then everyone burst out laughing, a kid from the crowd pushed Sellix to the front, and she was crying. She just looked so scared and weak. She couldn't hit a target to save her life, she wouldn't last 5 minutes in the arena... I did something so impulsive that I would forever wonder what was wrong with me, but I stepped up and said "I volunteer!" Daffly turned her head in suprise. "I see we have a volunteer" she gawked at me. The whole crowd started at me with blank expressions, but as soon as I stepped onto the stage Sellix rushed over to me. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You saved my life, and one day I will save yours." She promised me, grabbing my she disappeared back into the safety of the crowd, back to the life I should of been in, the life I just said goodbye to so she could go back. The crowd clapped whole heartedly. I guessed once they got over the shock they were please that district 2 had a decent competitor. Daffly raised me hand, "and you are?" She asked politely, almost apologetic, like she was supposed to know my name. "My name is Anna, Annaicia Delarro." I told her. "Well, people of District 2, your female tribute for the 27th hunger games! Anna Delarro!" She yelled. The was a thunderous applause. The only people who weren't clapping were... My parents. They were both crying. I felt the tears threatening to fall down my cheeks, but I sucked them back in. I would win, for them, for my district, and for myself. I would have a life that would change the world. I refuse to die at the capitals hand. Even though District 2 had an easy life, I wasn't blind to the other districts. My mother told me about about a field trip she took in first school before visiting other districts were outlawed. She visited District 12, she said half the people there looked already dead, and the ones that were visibly breathing and moving were starved and too skinny. She said there were no healthy animals, and the coal mines made it almost impossible to breathe. The miners faces were black with years of built up soot, and the whole placed reeked of rotten flesh, the capital had fixed it up a little, but it didn't do much anything for the people. I was flashed back to the present when Daffly said the boy tributes name. "Evan Rellim!" She proclaimed. Smiling, I distantly remembered him from First School. In second school they split us up by our social standard, he went to the lower class where the training was district 4 level, and I went to the highest class with the most elite training. "I VOLUNTEER!" Came a voice from the crowd. I didn't even bother to look, I knew immediately who it was, his name was Caro Mehou, he was the toughest boy in my grade, he had volunteered every year since his eligibility began. Every year he was always beat to volunteer by an older boy, but this year he was the oldest and everyone else knew he was determined to go this year. He was very deadly with a spear, but like me, hismain weapon was a knife. Although I was 10x better then him. I was easily the best in the class... I'm not a big bragger, because I don't have much to brag about, but my knife skills... I'll go on and on about. I'll admit I had some real talent. I could hit a bullseye 30 miles away. I was pretty proud of my combat skills. I shook hands with Caro, he whispered so only I could hear "Congrats for finally braving up, but we both know who's going to win." He grinned at me, he looked more like a hungry shark than my partner tribute. I shivered, I knew how this was going to go down...Daffly escorted us inside to the Justice Building. "Well kids, I know your used to luxury, but this will blow your mind. Even the most outdated things here are 20x better than anything you've ever had or dreamed of. Be ready to be amazed, but first you have a couple minutes to talk to your parents and peers and such." She babbled. Not soon enough we were separated and a peacekeeper took us to meeting rooms. I was seated and not even 5 seconds after my parents burst through the door. They both had visibly tear stained cheeks and my mother was still sobbing. "I just want to know why you did it. I have to make sure you have the right intentions." My dad told me with an obvious pleading in his eyes. I knew why too, his brother died in the hunger games. His brother, Marius, volunteered for the 14th Hunger Games, he was in the top 3 when his ally turned on him, before he killed him, his ally told him he was stupid to volunteer, and that if he had just appreciated what he had, and hadn't tried to be the hero when he didn't have to be, then he would be home and alive. Then he stabbed him right through the head, an instant death. Painless, for him, but it ruined dad. He made me promise never to volunteer. "Dad, I volunteered because I have a chance. Sellix wouldn't of even made it past the first day, you know that. I couldn't let her die when I could stop it. I promise I'll win. I'll win for you, and for Marius." I told my father with absolute certainty. He sighed. "Ok, I'll be watching, just be brave, be strong, and don't think about it. Do what you have to do, just pretend its a dream. I nodded. I hadn't even thought of what it would mean to kill another person. Just the vision made me shudder, but I couldn't be weak now, I had gotten myself into this and I had to get myself out. "1 minute!" The peacekeeper shouted. My mother hugged me, and told me to be careful. "I love you both, if I don't make it, just know I loved you till the very end." I told them, the tears now like water trying to break through a wood dam, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep them back if I talked anymore. The peacekeepers came, and my next guest arrived. It was Deliannah. She looked at me with curiosity, sadness, and a little bit of anger. "Why?" She asked. "I couldn't just let her die, we both know she would have." I answered. She sighed. "I really hope you win. If you don't... Then she will die. Because it should be her in that arena, not you. I looked down, she was right, I had never even talked to her, no one expected me to, no one wanted me to volunteer. I had to though, no one would understand why I did it, but I do... I think, and its because I needed to. I can't let innocent people die. That's ironic though, I saved one person but now I have to go kill 23 others.I had no more guests. Caro though, apparently had to pick from tens of guests to see. Or something like that. He's bragging about how popular he is. Or was. He will never see district 2 again. Only one will return on this train, and it will be me. I couldn't take his brag blabber anymore. "Car, NO ONE CARES!" He looked at me for a minute, and started laughing. "Haha, I guess your right, I don't have my band of tough guys here, you don't care about that bull crud do you?" I shook my head. "No, I don't." I answered. Getting bored, I left the car and wandered about. I came upon a door that I couldnt open, must be locked I thought. Quickly I turned my head in both directions, hoping no one would see me. I pulled out the knife from my boot, inserting it into the lock, after a second of twisting I heard the pop and returned the knife to its proper place in my boot. I quietly entered the room. I gasped when I saw what it was, it was a model of an arena of a Hunger Games, but not just any games, it was a model of the 27th hunger games. I was looking at my arena. It was beautiful. There was a plain, and mountains, and on the other side the was an ocean, there was a tag by every water source but one, I read each tag carefully. 'Single Celled Amoeba' read one another read 'Paramecium' others read things I couldn't understand. Based on the 2 I could, I realized the water was infected with parasites. I looked at the one clean pool, it had circles around it and said "Final Battle". So this was there plan, kill off tributes with parasites, then when the last ones left realize this is the only clean source, they'll all eventually go there. I looked back to the ocean, inside it were mini octopi. I read the card there, 'Octopi Mutations. They are drawn the the scent of flesh and blood, can walk on land for limited period of time. Poisoned tentacles will numb victims when skin is touched. They use the razor sharp teeth to tear off limbs first, then they will suck the victim dry of blood." I shivered. I was defiantly staying away from the ocean. I had the sudden urge to duck under the table, my instincts were usually right so I hid under the table. I was glad I did because, not 2 seconds after, the head peacekeeper Renn, walked in with both Caro and I's mentors. "This is the arena. District 1 & 2 mentors are allowed to look at it, for good behavior during the rebellion. My mentor, Celis, asked "Are we allowed to talk about it to the tributes?" Upharia, Caro's mentor, piped up "Are we?" The peacekeeper thought for a moment. "You may tell them, but do not show them this. We can't have them having TOO big of an advantage. They all laughed at that. I had to snuffle a snort of amusement, it was quite funny, because we all knew the only other districts that stood a chance against us, we're 1 & possibly 4. Suddenly another person entered the room. It was Daffly. "Have either of y'all seen... RENN! What are you doing? Didn't you get the capitals order? You weren't supposed to show them that! They changed it to classified!" Daffly shrieked. "What?" Renn's face paled. "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, we won't tell the tributes anything." Celis tried to comfort Renn. "Ok." She sighed. They all exited the room quietly, I guess Daffly forgot about asking where I was. I stayed under the table for a few minutes. Finally I got the courage to get back up. I took one last glance at the model, studying it deeply, and memorizing what the clean water pool looks like, and its location. I slipped out the door to go get something to eat.


End file.
